Cardiovascular diseases are the number one cause of death in the Western World. Epidemeologic and experimental data show clearly that high serum cholesterol levels, more precise high level of Low Density Lipoprotein particles, which contain cholesterol show a strong correlation with the occurrence of cardiovascular diseases. It is also well known that foods products containing fats high in saturated fatty acids contribute to high serum Low Density Lipoprotein levels. It has also be stated that hydrolysis of dietary fats, thereby liberating fatty acids in the stomach and intestinal tract increases the adsorption of cholesterol by the epithelial cells of the intestinal tract and consequently hydrolysis of dietary fats contribute to increase of the serum Low Density Lipoprotein levels. Several human dietary enzymes are involved in this hydrolysis reaction. A further reason to reduce the hydrolysis of dietary fats and the subsequent liberation of fatty acids is to prevent or to reduce an increase of body weight or event to reduce the body weight.
Also other enzymes in the gastrointestinal tract may be involved in undesirable physiological reactions. Examples of such enzymes, which are referred to as human dietary enzymes include oxidoreductases, transferases, hydrolases (e.g. lipases, proteolytic enzymes and ureases), lyases, isomerases and ligases or synthetases.
There is therefore a need to find ways to reduce the amount of liberated fatty acids in the stomach and intestinal tract for example by inhibiting or modulating the activity of human dietary enzymes.